RBKC Libraries

Hitchcock and Herrmann: The Friendship and Film Scores That Changed Cinema

We are delighted to host award-winning author and Emmy-nominated producer Steven C. Smith, visiting from California, for this rare opportunity to see him speak in person.

Drawing on his acclaimed new book, Hitchcock and Herrmann: The Friendship and Film Scores That Changed Cinema (OUP, October 2025), he takes us behind the scenes of a collaboration that redefined the role of music in film. From the chilling strings of Psycho to the hypnotic score of Vertigo, discover how Alfred Hitchcock and Bernard Herrmann transformed the emotional language of cinema - and why their work continues to influence filmmakers and composers today. Copies of the book will be available for purchase, with an opportunity to have them signed by the author after the talk.

📍 Kensington Central Library
📆 29 April 2026
🕑 6pm - 7.30pm
🔗 https://orlo.uk/P1fDB

Would you like to feel more confident using technology?

Come along to these free bi-monthly Digital Drop-In sessions hosted by the Kensington & Chelsea Over 50s Forum and available to all non-members as well. 📱 💻

Friendly volunteers can support you with:

•Using smartphones
•Sending emails and browsing the internet
•Accessing online services and websites
• Learning the basics of using a computer

📆 17 and 24 April 2026
🕑 2-4pm
📍Brompton Library
🔗 https://orlo.uk/y8TpZ

A Stephen Lawrence Day talk uncovering a pioneer of Black British history. ✊🏿

Samuel Jules Celestine-Edwards was a radical activist, writer, public speaker and the first Black editor in Britain of two national newspapers, Lux and Fraternity. 🖋️

His remarkable journey from Dominica to the United States and finally to Britain offers a powerful insight into Black political activism and intellectual life in Britain during the late nineteenth century.

Despite his groundbreaking achievements, Celestine-Edwards remains a largely forgotten figure in British history.

In recognition of Stephen Lawrence Day, Danny Thompson, PhD student and Black History Tutor, will share his research into this influential yet little-known pioneer. 👨🏿‍🎓

This talk explores Celestine-Edwards’ life, activism and the wider world of Black organising in Victorian Britain. Join us to discover the story of a man whose voice helped shape early Black British political thought.

📍 North Kensington Library
📆 23 April 2026
🕑 6.30PM
🔗 https://orlo.uk/forgottenpioneer_eZcyV